The eight-year veteran is making the most of that opportunity and appears to have the edge over Davon Drew for the backup spot behind Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. He is tied for the team lead with seven catches this preseason and tops all Ravens tight ends with 83 yards receiving.

Fitting into the Ravens offense hasn't come as a surprise to Wilson or the coaching staff. He played in similar systems in Kansas City and San Diego.

"He's got a lot of knowledge having been with Gonzalez and Gates," offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. "He picked things up quickly. I sense he's a very dependable guy."

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco hasn't played a snap in a preseason finale for the previous two years. But that will likely change Thursday in Atlanta.

Flacco said he thinks he will play.

"I don't know how much," he said.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged this year is different because of the NFL lockout, which eliminated offseason workouts and pushed back free-agent signings into training camp.

"We've talked about it and we're going to figure it out," Harbaugh said in addressing who's playing Thursday. "But it is different, and that's why it's not as cut and dry as it usually is."

Doss moves on

Several hours before the Ravens' preseason game against the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium last Thursday night, Tandon Doss broke up a fight involving three men and a knife at a burger joint at the Inner Harbor.

Doss' heroics fueled a generous amount of attention in the media and on the Internet, but the rookie wide receiver made it clear after Tuesday's practice at the team's training facility in Owings Mills that he'd like to put the whole incident behind him.

"That's in the past," Doss said of reconsidering his involvement in the fight. "Whatever happened, happened. I'm just trying to move forward."

McAdoo faces challenges

With just five days left before the Ravens are required to trim their roster to 53 players, time is running out on rookie Michael McAdoo to make an impression with the coaching staff.

McAdoo, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound defensive end who was signed by the club after not being selected in the supplemental draft on Aug. 22, is well aware of the obstacles he faces.

"Everybody's got an upper hand against me, but I've just got to come in and work harder and see how it plays out," he said.

On Saturday, Harbaugh spoke about the challenge facing McAdoo, saying, "It's impossible for him to come in and contribute in any way. He hasn't played football in two years. He's just a young kid. They say he's talented, so we'll just kind of look at him and see how he does."

End zone

The Ravens placed running back Matt Lawrence (concussion) on injured reserve to get to the league-mandated 80-player limit. This is the third straight year that Lawrence has been put on IR. Teams have to trim rosters down to 53 players by Saturday. … Wide receiver Lee Evans (left foot) didn't practice for a third straight day, and cornerback Chris Carr (left hamstring) and offensive tackle Mark LeVoir (unspecified) were absent for the second straight practice. … Wide receiver James Hardy, a former second-round pick by the Buffalo Bills, has missed a majority of training camp and the preseason with a hamstring injury. But Hardy is expected to play Thursday after practicing all week. "This was a big camp for him and he missed it," Harbaugh said. "So, this is his one shot." … This marks the first time this season that the Ravens will have to board a plane. Their only other road game was at Philadelphia, where the team arrived by train.

With trades in consecutive offseasons, the Ravens have given Joe Flacco a formidable receiving tandem in Anquan Boldin and Lee Evans. Boldin has had five 1,000-yard seasons in his eight years in the league and Evans has averaged 15.7 yards per catch in seven seasons and hauled in 42...

An earthquake rattled Baltimore on Tuesday and a hurricane is expected to rock us this weekend. So what's got everyone panicking around here? The play of a quarterback who has won 32 games in three seasons.

Wednesday was a sad day in Birdland as Mike Flanagan, who wore many hats in the Orioles organization for four decades, was found dead at his Baltimore County home. The 1979 Cy Young Award winner was 59.

In Tuesday's "Your Turn," we discussed the Ravens' depth at cornerback and which two players should start at the position when Week 1 rolls around. It seems your preference is for Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams.